A man left work one Friday, but since it was payday he didn't go straight home. Instead he stayed out and partied with his friends the entire weekend, spending his whole paycheck. When he got home on Sunday, his angry wife confronted him and gave him a lecture befitting his actions. She ended her tirade by saying, "How would you like it if you didn't see me for two or three days?" He very unwisely replied, "That would be fine with me!" Monday went by, Tuesday, and Wednesday as well, and he didn't see his wife any of those days. But finally on Thursday, the swelling went down just enough so that he could see her a little out of the corner of his left eye.

Well, that marriage could obviously stand some good counseling. How about yours - or mine? Probably all of us could improve in this most intimate relationship, but you'll find no better advice that leads to good marital relationships than that which Paul the apostle gave to the Ephesians - (Eph. 5:22-33). He says wives are to "submit to your husbands," and husbands are to "love your wives, just as Christ loved the church." Now, I'm fully aware that the obedience thing isn't very popular in our day and age. Some brides ask me to omit any mention of this in the marriage ceremony. Nope. Sorry. But, think about this, husbands - you hold the key to the submission of your wife. If you will love her like Christ loved the church, she'll much more readily submit to you. On the other hand, if the wife would be more submissive, she would more likely have a loving husband. So, each holds the key to getting out of marriage what God intends for them to get. If each would "tend to their own knitting," the result would be fulfilling marriages and happy homes. Simply put, in marriage, if you want to get, you have to give. But let me say this to the husbands, because I think we have a lot more need for instruction in the loving business than wives do in the submitting business. Remember this: flowers are much cheaper than marriage counseling. Perhaps it would do you well to invest in some; or else, you might not be seeing her for a few days.

Lonnie Ritchie

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